24



Mr. Frank Finn,



THE HIMALAYAN GOLDFINCH.


Carduelis ca?iiceps.


By Frank Finn, B.A., F.Z.S.


Just as the donkey suffers in general estimation from the

fact that he is not a horse, so is the present bird likely to be

looked down upon by comparison with the Common Goldfinch,

for wherever it differs from that species the difference is mostly

to its own disadvantage, the want of the distinct black-and-white

head marking being especially noticeable.


This particular difference is not seen in the “ grey-pate ”

stage of the two species, but such young birds are at once dis¬

tinguishable by the very different proportions and arrangement of

the black-and-white on the quills, well shown in Mr. Goodchild’s

beautiful drawing. Although this shows the Common Goldfinch

as a much browner bird than the very “ mealy ” caniceps, this is

not a constant distinction, as I have seen Persian skins of the

former which matched the latter in the light drab tone of their

colouring. The blaze is noticeably smaller in caniceps than

in the other, and the beak, also though as long as the

ordinary Goldfinch’s or longer, inclines to the very acute and

thorn-like form of the Siskin’s. But in most respects the two

birds are obviously cast in the same mould.


The Himalayan Goldfinch has a wide range, inhabiting

not only the Himalayas, but Siberia from Krasnoyarsk to Lake

Baikal, Transcaspia, Afghanistan, and Turkestan. In habits it

seems not to differ from the Common Goldfinch, but not very

much can be known about it, as its nesting is unrecorded. Here

then, is an opportunity for one of our members.


The most interesting point about the species is the inter¬

breeding which goes on between it and its better-known ally

where they meet, in Siberia and Persia. As most of our

members probably know, fine specimens of these hybrid Gold¬

finches with specimens of the pure birds, are on view in a case

in the Entrance Hall at the Natural History Museum, South

Kensington, these are Siberian specimens presented by the late

Mr. H. Seebohm.


This bird in the Himalayas keeps to rather high elevations,



